2. Contact Info

3. Dealer Selection

Audi has just announced its new 1.8 TFSI four-cylinder engines, but for those of us here in the U.S. our only option will be to hope longingly of the German automaker to bring it here. It will see its debut next year in the 2013 A5 coupe and cabriolet, but only overseas.

The turbocharged, direct-injection 1.8-liter I-4 cranks out 170 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. According to the manufacturer, that’s more than enough power to propel a manual transmission-equipped A5 front-wheel-drive coupe to 62 mph in 7.9 seconds. Audi has also engineered the engine to be one of its cleaner offerings, returning the equivalent of around 41 mpg.

To achieve the high efficiency without sacrificing power, the new engine employs Audi’s FSI direct-injection technology along with an all-new turbocharger with boost pressure of up to 18.9 psi. This has also allowed Audi to reduce engine weight by roughly eight pounds without enacting a penalty on performance.

When we spoke with Audi, we were told that there are currently no plans to bring the 1.8 TFSI to the States in any model. Instead, we will continue to get the 2.0T turbocharged inline-four that currently makes 211 hp and 258 lb-ft in the A5. European customers will continue have the choice of the 2.0T, with the 1.8 TFSI slotting in below.

What do you say? Would you like to see the 1.8 TFSI on our shores? The 2012 A5 currently starts at $37,975 (including destination); is there a place for a lower-priced, entry-level A5 on our shores? Should Audi stuff the 1.8 TFSI into a different model and bring it stateside? Let us know in the comments section.

Share this article in:

We’ve Temporarily Removed Comments

As part of our ongoing efforts to make MotorTrend.com better, faster, and easier for you to use, we’ve temporarily removed comments as well as the ability to comment. We’re testing and reviewing options to possibly bring comments back. As always, thanks for reading MotorTrend.com.